Seton Hall men’s basketball ended its trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational on a high note, beating the Washington State University Cougars (WSU), 75-61, in the third-place game. The Pirates played with confidence from start to finish and showed that they are much better than what many expected coming into the season.
SHU started the game strong, scoring 37 points in the first half and taking a 10-point lead into the break. Their defense set the tone early, and their energy never dropped. Even when the Cougars tried to make a run, the Pirates always had an answer, ultimately winning both halves of the game.
As they have done all tournament, guards A.J. Staton-McCray and Mike Williams led the way. Staton-McCray dropped 20 points on 8-for-14 (57%), scoring big baskets when the Pirates needed him. Williams added 13 points, while also dishing out five assists. After the game, Staton-McCray was selected to the Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Even though SHU didn't finish first in the tournament, they still proved many people wrong. The Pirates opened the invitational by dominating No. 23 North Carolina (NC) State, 85-74, even though the Wolfpack were the favorites to win the whole tournament. SHU then lost a close 83-81 battle to USC, who went on to win the tournament championship against Arizona State University (ASU). By going 2-1 in the tournament, the Pirates showed that they can compete with anyone, and their effort in all three games made that clear.
This hot start also shows how far the program has come within the past year. Last season, the Pirates won just seven games total. Now, just eight games into the 2025-2026 season, they have already tied that win total with a 7-1 record. For a team that was picked to finish dead last in the BIG EAST during the preseason, this run in Maui is a major sign that the Pirates are building something special behind Head Coach Shaheen Holloway.
After the win, Holloway praised his players and their collective mindset.
“These guys got passion, these guys got juice,” Holloway said. “When you got guys that love the game for the game, and not the extras that come with it, that’s when you grow.”
Holloway believes that if his players maintain this mindset and stay true to the team’s identity, then the sky is the limit for the team.
“We could be as good as we want,” Holloway said. “We [just] want to keep the main thing the main thing—we’re a defensive team.”
The Pirates will now return to New Jersey to get ready for their next matchup on Dec. 3, when they host Central Connecticut State for their third and final game at historic Walsh Gymnasium this season.
With a 7-1 record and momentum from Maui, the Pirates will look to keep proving their doubters wrong and have another strong month in December.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
